Uncivil Discourses and Polarisation on Prime Time Political Talk Shows

Resumen

Political talk shows have been one of the most relevant tools in political communication since they burst onto American television at the end of the 20th century (Baum & Jamison, 2006). The rise of «infotainment» (Thussu, 2007) in those years caused an alliance between political information and entertainment that had traditionally been addressed separately (Delli Carpini & Williams, 2001). The need for parties and leaders to bring their message closer to broad sectors of the population and the willingness of television networks to look for cheap formats that would report good audience results, has meant that, since then, these spaces have been fully consolidated in the most networks around the world, contributing to shaping what has been conceptualized as «pop politics» (Mazzoleni & Sfardini, 2009) and even as «politainment» (Berrocal, 2017). The most relevant conclusion of the analysis is that La Sexta Noche and, in general, the political talk shows broadcast on Spanish television, as a consequence of their formal commitment, become decisive actors in the promotion of social and political polarisation, as well as an emotional and aggressive discussion on public affairs and on the democratic system that we should not underestimate.